Close Encounters (2022) Director Summons Aliens With His Mind?

Yes, you read that right. Dr. Greer, the often smashed on Reddit ufologist, is back online selling mother Gaia to anyone willing to drop a stack of greenbacks to listen to his rants and self-absorbed nonsense.

The only difference today is that he can now do it on Prime Video.

Films like Close Encounters of the Fifth Kind and Congress’ recent inquiries into the subject have sparked renewed interest online as hundreds of new UFO reports have been said to make their way through the feds’ new UFO monitoring program.

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Close Encounters of the Fifth Kind is silliness

What makes Close Encounters of the Fifth Kind a snarky shart, though, is the ridiculousness of Greer as an advocate for the interstellar community. On several occasions Greer tears up as he describes his “survivor guilt.”

That isn’t to say our hearts aren’t with the families of individuals who have lost or taken their life working to force the US government to disclose what they know. There has no doubt been incredible barriers for them to overcome. But Greer is just so over the top; his ideas are so fantastical, when there are moments that should resonate for audiences, they instead feel cheap and manufactured.

One fan shared their experience participating in Dr. Greer’s “contact protocols,” where he rounds up a group of believers and, armed with “a pure heart and no ill intent,” summons the aliens out of thin air. As I write this, I ask myself “what the fuck was I thinking when I said I liked this movie?”

Here’s an excerpt from one of the Reddit threads:

“He starts by saying he has been around space craft since his early childhood and it quickly becomes evident that what he’s got on his mind couldn’t fit into a week let alone an hour. It’s a lot to take in, with very little factual evidence presented and a lot of story telling, but the video footage and his perspective is interesting none the less.”

Close Encounters got shredded on RT, but the audience loved it

Critics hated Close Encounters, but the audience loved it. Why? Very light on facts, heavy on assumptions, and absolutes that were so far from plausibility, it’s laughable.

In fact, here’s what the Hollywood Reporters said about the abundance of tin foil as Close Encounters of the Fifth Kind made its way through all three acts:

“The pic’s claims grow wilder by the minute, and its power to persuade is undercut by narration scripted like a YouTube conspiracy film.” Yes, that.

The shame of it is, I really enjoyed this movie. Imagining what the repercussions would be if half the things he says are true, it isn’t hard to slip into cosmic thinking. What if aliens just appeared and announced “we’re here, and we have so much to teach you”; what would it mean?

However, after chewing on the film for a few months, I decided to make my peace with reality once again. They aren’t coming anytime soon, we aren’t communicating with them via telepathy (could you imagine if they could read your thoughts? – gross), and I’m not forking over any cash for up close and personal Close Encounters of the Fifth Kind.

But the movie was fun.